Advanced cardiac life support
Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS)
Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) is a set of clinical interventions for the urgent treatment of cardiac arrest, stroke and other life-threatening medical emergencies, as well as the knowledge and skills to deploy those interventions.
Pronunciation: /ədˈvɑːnst kɑːrdiæk laɪf səˈpɔːrt/
Etymology: The term originates from the English language, where "advanced" refers to being at a higher level, "cardiac" pertains to the heart, "life" signifies living, and "support" means to uphold or sustain.
Related Terms
- Basic Life Support (BLS): A level of medical care which is used for victims of life-threatening illnesses or injuries until they can be given full medical care at a hospital.
- Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR): An emergency procedure that combines chest compressions often with artificial ventilation in an effort to manually preserve intact brain function until further measures are taken to restore spontaneous blood circulation and breathing in a person who is in cardiac arrest.
- Defibrillation: A treatment for life-threatening cardiac dysrhythmias and ventricular fibrillation.
- Cardiac Arrest: A sudden loss of blood flow resulting from the failure of the heart to effectively pump.
Overview
Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) involves the recognition and early management of respiratory and cardiac arrest, arrhythmias, acute coronary syndromes, stroke, and related pharmacological interventions. It extends Basic Life Support to include cardiac monitoring, use of a manual defibrillator, and administration of anti-arrhythmic drugs.
Training and Certification
ACLS training is designed for healthcare professionals who either direct or participate in the management of cardiopulmonary arrest or other cardiovascular emergencies. This includes personnel in emergency response, emergency medicine, intensive care, and critical care units such as physicians, nurses, and paramedics.
ACLS Algorithms
ACLS algorithms are a continuation of BLS algorithms. These algorithms usually involve advanced interventions such as tracheal intubation, IV access, ROSC (Return of Spontaneous Circulation), and the use of medications such as epinephrine and amiodarone.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Advanced cardiac life support
- Wikipedia's article - Advanced cardiac life support
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